Mino, Nagara River.

The Nagara River originates in Mt. Oithidake in Hida Province and flows from north to south through the Noo Plain before flowing into the sea at Ise Bay.

The Nagara River is an important water system of Noo, and is known as the Kiso Three Rivers along with the Kiso River and the Ihi River. Because of the clear water, it is also known as one of the three clear streams in Japan, together with the Kakida River and the Shimanto River.

Although the Nagara River is clear, it often floods, and historically it has a name called the Sumamata River.

In the ninth year of Eiroku, the Owari Oda family invaded Mino Hichiku.

Oda Nobunaga learned the lesson of the Battle of Dodong and his defeat at the head of the Saito family, Michitoshi Nagai, and decided to build a castle in the lower reaches of the Nagara River in Sumamata as a foothold to attack Mino.

Not long ago, Oda Nobunaga successively sent his family old Sakuma Nobumori and Shibata Katsuie to lead an army to build a castle in Sumamata, but they were all defeated by Saito's army.

Just as the Oda family was preparing to go out to build the castle for the third time, it was at Gujo Hachiman Castle in the upper reaches of the Nagara River, and it was the time for the people to dance during the annual Obon Festival.

The local custom of dancing the bon dance originated very early, and a stage was usually set up in the center of the venue, on which a row of lanterns were hung, and large drums were displayed, and in the sound of drums, local residents gathered to dance, wearing yukata robes, holding fans, and dancing to the beat of the dance steps that they had been familiar with since childhood.

Whether you are a local or a foreigner, you can join in and share the fun.

And this official Obon Festival bon dance was just implemented by the local lord of Hachiman Castle, Endo Keitaka, with the aim of bringing harmony to the people in the territory.

This activity was interrupted for a time in history, but has been re-established in modern times.

At night, Yoshitaka Endo, wearing a black-hated hat and a sword at his waist, is standing on the castle tower of Hachiman Castle in the gun, looking out at the brightly lit scene in the castle town.

From time to time, the joyful laughter of the people could be heard from afar.

Seeing this, Keitaka Endo didn't feel a hint of a smile on the corner of his mouth.

Keritaka Endo is only 17 years old this year, and his family business is inherited from his father Endo Morishu.

The land of Hachiman in this county was originally owned by the local wealthy clan of the Higashi clan, and the Endo family was nothing more than a retainer of the Toshi clan.

When in the second year of Genroku, the Endo family succeeded in Katsugami, and Endo Morishu destroyed the main family of the East clan, becoming a powerful local wealthy family, and now has the land of the three castles of Hachiman Castle in the gun, Higashidenyama Castle, and Shinowaki Castle, and has received more than 20,000 stones.

When Keitaka Endo was looking at the scenery, he suddenly felt a sinking on his back, and turned his head to see that it was his new wife who had added a dress for him.

Endo Qinglong smiled slightly, stretched out his right hand to hug his wife, and then his left hand directly stretched into Wu Fu on his wife's chest, kneading it vigorously

There was a flush on his wife's face, followed by a slight moan.

Endo Keitaka looked at the expression on his wife's face with satisfaction, he was originally the daughter of Mamoru Ando, the lord of Mino Northern Castle, but he died of illness not long ago, and now he is remarried to the daughter of Hida Daimyo's sister Yoshiyori Koji.

"Don't ...... Don't do that, my father...... Here it comes. ”

When Endo Qingtaka was in high spirits, when he uncovered his belt, he suddenly heard his wife say this, and asked in a stunned way, "Father-in-law is here?" ”

The other party nodded slightly, and said, "Not only my father is here, but also Lord Nagai is here." ”

"Oh?"

Endo Qingtaka was stunned when he heard this, and asked in a deep voice, "Yezi, what happened?" ”

Her wife bowed down and wept and said, "Husband, the Takeda family is raising troops in Hida for no reason, invading my father's territory, and my father is fighting to the death with all the retainers, but he is unable to support it. Now that my sister's Xiaolu family has reached the time of survival, I hope that my husband can read on my daily careful service and save my sister's Xiaolu family. ”

Endo Qinglong comforted his wife softly, and said: "Yezi, don't worry, my father-in-law's business is my business, and I will never sit idly by." Now I'll see my father and my father-in-law. ”

Ye Zi's face showed a look of relief when he heard this, and he bowed down and said, "Then everything will be entrusted to Mr. Fu." ”

Immediately, Endo Keitaka put on his robe, took his katana, and strode towards the castle tower.

After Ye Zi saw Endo Qinglong leaving, he raised his head, and Fang Cai's sadness immediately disappeared.

She shook her head slightly, thinking that when she married into the Endo family from Hida, her father and sister Koji Yoshiyori had said to herself.

As a woman of a samurai family, all happiness lies not in herself, but in her mother's family, if her mother's family is broken, then her status in her husband's family will also be reduced. …,

And the purpose of her marriage into the Endo family is to let the Endo family be used by her sister Xiaolu family one day, so her task is to serve and please her husband, so that she can be used by her sister Xiaolu in the future.

Keitaka Endo strode into the castle tower, knowing that today was unusual.

This time, in addition to his father-in-law, Hida Kuniji, and his sister Koji Yoshiyori came in person, even his stepfather Michitoshi Nagai also came.

At the beginning, the wife of Endo Keitaka's father, Endo Morishu, was the daughter of the head of the East family, the main family he perished.

After Endo Morishu was in the fifth year of Eiroku, he joined the Saito family and died in the battle of the light sea with the Oda family, and at the age of thirteen, Endo Keitaka succeeded to the position of family governor.

At that time, in order to further consolidate his son's position as the governor of the family, Endo Keitaka's mother remarried Nagai Michitoshi, the lord of Seki Castle.

Let Michitoshi Nagai serve as the aftersight of Keritaka Endo and assist him in taking charge of the family business.

Nagai Michitoshi himself was an important minister who served the Saito family, Saito Michizo, Yoshiryu, and Ryuko, and as a famous general of the Saito family, he has been active in the battle against the Oda family in recent years.

And he is a ruthless person, when he was a retainer of Yoshilong, he deceived the other two sons of Saito Michizo, and killed them in one fell swoop with Hineno Bichu, helping Yoshilong complete the act of killing his father and seizing the throne.

When Endo walked to the corridor, he heard the voices of two people in the room.

"Lord Nagai, please Your Excellency this time, it is really very presumptuous, I heard that the Oda family has been in a hurry to attack Mino in recent years, at this time, I, Yoshiryuko, please, I hope that Your Excellency will take out military strength to help me Hida, it is really embarrassing for you."

The other person laughed, looking very bold, and said: "Da Na's words are serious, you and I are friends in the world, and we are allies of the Saito family, so we should support each other, and Takeda Shingen is a careerist in the world, not to mention the alliance with the Oda family, but also intends to annex Hida, so he must not be allowed to succeed." ”

When Endo Keitaka heard this, he thought: I see, my father's intention is to support me in sending troops to help my father-in-law tide over this difficulty.

Thinking of this, Keitaka Endo had already stepped indoors, while his father-in-law and sister Yoshiyori Koji and stepfather Michitoshi Nagai were discussing.

When Endo saw the two, he stepped forward to formally greet them.

After Michitoshi Nagai saw Keitaka Endo, he said with a smile: "Right now, the Oda family is in a hurry to attack Mino, and I can't leave the castle, so Lord Nagayan, I will order my son Keitaka to go out for me to help you resist the attack of the Takeda family, do you think it's okay?" ”。

Sister Koji Ryoyori smiled and looked at Endo Keitaka and asked, "The Takeda family has always been rampant in the Kanto region, and is known as the strongest army in the world. Qinglong, can you? ”。

Endo Qinglong immediately said without hesitation: "It's an honor, my Endo family samurai are very good at fighting, I have long wanted to see the combat power of the Takeda Army, and please rest assured that my father-in-law will definitely defeat the enemy for you." ”

Nagai Michitoshi also said: "Very good, this is what young people should look like, what do you think?" ”

Sister Koji Ryoyori nodded and said, "Thank you so much, Lord Nagai, with the help of Keitaka's arm, it is easy to defeat the Takeda army." It didn't take long for me to return to Mino after I defeated the Takeda family, and I was still more worried about Nagai-sama than I was. Oda Nobunaga's ambition is not inferior to Takeda Shingen, and he was defeated at his hands when Yoshimoto Gong went to Luo, and please be cautious when Lord Nagai is here. ”

Nagai Michitoshi smiled and said, "Da Na is too worried, I admit that Oda Nobunaga is not the rumored Owari big fool, but to annex Mino, his ability is not enough. In the near future, Nobunaga wanted to build a castle in Sumamata, in the lower reaches of the Nagara River, as the frontier of advancing Inabayama Castle, but the land of Sumamata was close to the main house and far away from the Oda family, so it was not so easy to build a castle. ”

"Before, Nobunaga ordered the two most warlike generals of the Oda family, Sakuma Nobumori and Shibata Katsuie, to build the castle, but they were both defeated. It's funny to say, this Oda Nobunaga didn't give up, and this time he entrusted the construction of the castle to a retainer named Kinoshita who was born as a farmer. I don't believe that even the famous generals Sakuma and Shibata can't do it, he can do it. ”

Sister Koji Yoshiyori laughed when she heard this, and said, "With Nagai-sama in charge, Oda Nobunaga will not succeed, so I can rest assured." ”

Speaking of this, a sneer appeared on the face of Sister Xiaolu Liangyori, thinking to himself, Li Xiao must not have expected that I would personally rescue the Saito family, and when the new force of Endo Keitaka arrived, the Takeda family would inevitably be caught off guard and go away. Li Xiao, Li Xiao, my sister Xiaolu Lianglai wants to see who can take charge of Hida in the future. …,

Hida Country, Tenjin Mountain Castle.

Tenjin Castle, also known as Tagayama Castle, was the residence of the Hida guardian of the Taga clan.

After the rise of the Miki clan, it was owned by the Miki family.

In the first year of Eiroku, Sister Koji Ryori killed his younger brother Miki Kuyori outside the Tenjin Mountain Castle, paving the way for his son and sister Koji Yoritsuna to inherit Sister Koji's family in the future.

In the year of Tensho, after Kanamori Nagajin was ordered by Toyotomi Hideyoshi to seize the Hida Province, he rebuilt the castle on Tenjinyama Castle and named the new castle Takayama Castle.

For hundreds of years, Takayama Castle served as the residence of the lord of the Hida Takayama Domain.

In the ninth year of Yonglu, at the end of July.

Li Xiao issued a military order to his sister Xiaolu's family to his powerful wealthy family.

Li Xiao led 950 people to arrive at the castle of Tenjin Mountain Castle, and then 200 people from the Nabeyama family and the Hirose family arrived, and the next day the Uchijima clan also led 300 troops from the Uchijima family to arrive.

After gathering the troops, Li Xiao was waiting to wonder why his sister Xiaolu's current troops were so scarce.

Yokotani Yukishige sent an urgent report to Li Xiao.

It turned out that the Eima family Eduma Celestial led 800 troops from the highland Suwa Castle, and on the other side, the Endo family, a wealthy clan in Shinano-gun, also entered Shinano to reinforce the army, and the strength reached 1,000 troops, and finally the sister Koji Yoshiyori himself gathered 1,200 troops from Sakurato Castle.

These are all three families, the strength of the maximum mobilization, and now the soldiers of the three wealthy clans are rushing to the city of Tianshen Mountain in three ways, preparing for a decisive battle with Li Xiao.

Li Xiaowenzhi immediately sent an order to Dao Sheng, asking him to immediately lead Kamioka Bei to rush from Kamioka Castle to support.

This battle is unprecedented in Hida, the country of projectiles, and will decide the fate of the entire Hida, and it will soon be launched under the castle ......of Tenjin Mountain.